Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Unlike most people, I actually enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007). For all its bloat and excessive weirdness, it had impressive action scenes and incredible visual effects to make it worthwhile. Still, I had no great desire for a new installment, and viewed the new Pirates film with trepidation, not the least from its cold critical reception.

Despite getting universally terrible reviews, On Stranger Tides is actually good. It keeps the silly subplots to a minimum and avoids the bombast of the last two films, reverting to the good old matinee fun of The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) returns to London to rescue shipmate Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally), only to find another sailor impersonatinghim to hire a crew. Sparrow finds out it's Angelica (Penelope Cruz), a former lover and pirate in her right, who may be the daughter of Blackbeard (Ian McShane). Jack is shanghaied into joining Blackbeard's search for the Fountain of Youth, of which he knows the location. Also searching for the Fountain is Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), now in the employ of the Royal Navy, and a parallel Spanish expedition.

On Stranger Tides pares down the narrative to basics. There's still some excess baggage, including a silly romance between a missionary (Sam Clafin) and a mermaid (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), but Rob Marshall mostly keeps the plot on track. There aren't fifty different subplots: everyone's more or less after the same thing (albeit for different reasons), and there aren't millions of double-crosses or digressive crab-licking scenes. It's a straight adventure film with lots of action scenes, computer effects and humor, and succeeds swimmingly provided you're not expecting much.

Rob Marshall ably takes over from Gore Verbinski, matching his flare for period detail and Goldbergian action scenes. The opening scene in London is an inspired comic set-piece, building in enjoyably absurd fashion. The fantasy elements are well-done, including a school of flesh-eating mermaids and Blackbeard's cursed ship, which are more palatable than squid people and crab ladies, and the script contains some actual wit rather than labored gags. Hans Zimmer's score is more of the same, which isn't a bad thing.

Johnny Depp is Jack Sparrow yet again, adding little new to the character. If you like Jack, you'll enjoy his continued antics; if not, not. Geoffrey Rush is back in fine teeth-gnashing form. The feisty Penelope Cruz and ferocious Ian McShane are great additions to the cast. Kevin McNally (Valkyrie) reprises his role as Depp's sidekick, and Stephen Graham (Public Enemies) has a nice role. Sam Claflin and Astrid Berges-Frisbey's soppy romance adds nothing to the film, but hey, they're not Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. Judi Dench, Richard Griffiths and Keith Richards have fun cameos.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is an enjoyable enough summer blockbuster. Ignore the critics this time around, as it's a fun, unpretentious ride. At least there's no squid beard, zombie monkey or Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.